Fair leader



-Aug. 13, 1957 M. D. TROYER 2,802,539

FAIR-LEADER Filed June 20, 1955 I Y s Sheets-Sheet 1 l3 2 t ll}!!! 3 IN VEN TOR. Mmec D. Teorse HTTOENEYJ Aug. 13, 1957 M. D. TROYER 2,802,639

FAIR-LEADER Filed June 20, 1955 v 3 Sheets-Sheet s I Q 7a I IN V EN TOR. I Mmec D. TQo y HT T0211 5 y United States Patent FAIR LEADER Marc D. Troyer, Seattle, Wash., assignor to Berger Engineering Company, Seattle, Wash., a corporation of Washington Application June 20, 1955, Serial No. 516,431

3 Claims. (Cl. 254-194) This invention relates to fairleaders, and it has reference more particularly to fairleaders of the bullseye type, embodying balanced, self-aligning features such as those which characterize the structures disclosed in United States patents issued to Knute Berger under Nos. 1,805,800 and 2,362,531.

The particular type of fairleader to which the present invention has been applied is of such construction that heretofore it has been required that the cable or line to be supported and guided be threaded through an axially rotatable tubular shank, or barrel which carries the sheave mounting block. This threading requirement has presented a serious difiiculty due to the fact that most cables, ropes or lines, such as those used as running lines for the yarding of logs, hoisting, swinging or for marine towing, and the like, are generally equipped either with large eye splices, ferrules, hooks, weights or other fixtures that are too large to pass through the reeveway or cable passage of the block mounting shank or barrel.

In view of the difiiculties that arise from the above noted threading requirement, it has been the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved fairleader which is patterned closely after the devices of the above identified Berger patents and which retains all their desirable features, but wherein provision has been made for the laying of the line or cable into the shank or barrel passage, as distinguished from the heretofore required threading operation, thus to avoid those particular diflficulties that result from the use of eye splices, knobs, ferrules, or the like, on such cables or lines.

More specifically stated, the primary object of the present invention resides in the provision of a fairleader of the above kind having a cylindrical barrel or shank rotatably supporting the sheave block and through which barrel the line or cable passes for travel over the block sheave or roller; the barrel and its mounting bearing both being longitudinally slotted at the top to permit the laying of the cable therein. Furthermore, it has been a further object of the invention to provide a closure member for the slots of the housing and barrel which can be easily and quickly removed therefrom for the laying of a line or cable in or its removal from the fairleader.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a fairleader embodying the above noted improvements, wherein the longitudinally slotted barrel or shank of the block is mounted by anti-friction bearings carried in a bearing cage that also is longitudinally slotted to permit the laying of the cable through it into the reeveway provided by the tubular shank of the sheave block.

vFurther objects and advantages of the present invention reside in the details of construction and in the combination of its parts, and in the mode of use of the present device, as will hereinafter be fully described.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a fairleader embodying ice the improvements of the present invention therein; a part of the enclosing housing in which the shank of barrel of the sheave block is mounted being broken away for better understanding.

Fig. 2 is a vertical, cross-section taken substantially along the line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section, taken on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section, taken on line 4-4 in Fig. 7

3, showing the slotted housing, barrel and bearing cage.

Fig. 5 is a rear end elevation of a part of the fairleader mounting base showing the closing plate as applied to the end of the tubular shank and bearing cage.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the roller bearing cage wherein the barrel or shank of the sheave block is rotatably contained.

Fig. 7 is a detail of the pin latching means.

Fig. 8 is a section taken on line 88 in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a sectional detail of a ball bearing for mounting the shank of the fairleader housing.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of an alternative form of slot closing block and lock.

Fig. 11 is a section taken therethrough.

Fig. 12 is a sectional detail showing an alternative form of bearing for the tubular shank.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

The present fairleader comprises a sheave block designated in its entirety by numeral 10, having spaced, parallel opposite sidewalls 1111 cast integral with, and at one end of a tubular suppoiting hub 12.; this hub being mounted for axial rotation in a cast metal base which is designated in its entirety by reference numeral.

plied to secure the device to a support or foundation .-such as indicated at 16 in Fig. 2.

In its normal position of use, the hub 12 is horizontally disposed, and the sheave block 10 is supported thereby for free turning from side to side, under pull of the cable, about the axial line of the hub, thus to accommodate itself automatically to the direction of pull of the cable that passes over the block sheave, as will presently be fully explained.

Supported in the sheave block 10 is a sheave wheel 18; this being disposed between and parallel with the opposite sidewalls 11-11 of the block for rotation on a bolt or axis 19 that extends through and is supported by the said sidewalls, as shown in Fig. 2. In Fig. 1, I have shown a cable, or line 20, passing through the reeveway or axial passage of the hub and into the block 10, where it is laid into the groove of the sheave wheel 18 and then downwardly from the block. It is noted in Fig. 1 that the cable 20, in entering the block 10, extends substantially in the axial line of the hub about which the block is adapted to pivot, thus any load or pull applied at the outer end of the downwardly directed cable 20 will cause the block to automatically adjust itself to the direction of pull of the cable in the same manner as explained in the Berger patents previously mentioned.

Located between the spaced opposite sidewalls of the block 10, and directly above the sheave wheel 18, is a relatively small cable retaining sheave 25 mounted for rotation on a supporting pin 26 that extends transversely through the sidewalls of the block. This sheave is adapted to engage the top side of the cable 20 as passed over sheave 18, to prevent its accidentally jumping therefrom.

It is shown in Fig. 2 that the sheave mounting pin 26 is equipped at one end with a loop-form handle 26x, and at opposites sides of the sheave 25, respectively, it is provided with circular bearings 27 and 28; these bearasoaeasa ings being fixed on the pin and adapted to move thereby in circular openings 2; and 31 provided therefor in the opposite sidewalls 1111 of'the block 10. The sheave 25 is of slightly lesser diameter than the opening 29, and the bearing 28 is of slightly greater diameter than the opening 29, for a purpose presently explained.

Bolted or otherwise fixed to the outside face of the block wall 11 adjacent the opening 29, as seen in Fig. 1, is a fiat plate 35, formed at one edge with a short projecting tongue 36 that extends into an encircling channel 37 formed in the outer end portion of the circular hearing 27. At one point of its periphery, the bearing 27 is formed with a slot 38, opening from the channel 37 to the inner end of the bearing. The tongue 36 normally holds the pin 26 and parts fixed thereto in functional position as in Fig. 3. However, upon rotating the pin 26 until the tongue 36 registers with the slot 38, the pin can then be pulled outwardly, thus to clear the sheave 25 and bearing 28 from the top of sheave 18 and thus provide for the laying of the cable 20 into the groove of sheave 18 or for lifting it from the block through the slotted barrel and bearing as presently explained.

To retain the pin 26 against accidental release, the handle portion 26x is formed with an extended finger 40 adapted to be retained between a stop lug 4-1 that projects outwardly from plate 35 and a yieldingly mounted push button 42 mounted in the plate below the lug. To release the pin, the push button is depressed to clear the finger, and then, by means of its handle, the pin is rotated to bring the channel 38 of bearing 27 into alignment with the tongue 36, thus permitting the pin and associated parts to be withdrawn sufficient to clear the sheave 25 and bearing 28 from the sheave 18, as has been indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

The principal novelty of the present invention resides in the provision for laying the cable 20 within the hub 12 and block so as to eliminate the necessity for threading it endwise through the hub and then between the sheaves 18 and 25. To accomplish this, I have provided the hub containing portion of the base 13, along the top, with a longitudinal slot 30, as shown best in Fig. 4, and have similarly provided the hub 12 of the sheave block with a longitudinal slot 32 that opens at its ends to the ends of the hub and into the space that is between the sidewalls 11-11 of the block, thus providing that when the sheave block 10 is in its upright position as in Fig. 2, the slots 30 and 32 will be in registering alignment and it is then possible to merely lay the cable into the shank'and between the sidewalls of the block.

In the present instance, it is desirable that anti-friction roller bearings 50 be contained in a cage 51 between the hub and cylindrical walls of the bearing portion in which the hub is contained as in Fig. 4, and this cage 51 is longitudinally slotted, as at 52 in Fig. 6. This cage is fixed relative to the hub, with its slot registered with the hub slot 32, by means of a fiat segmental plate 55 that is applied against the endsof these parts and secured thereto by screws 58 as noted in Fig. 5.

After the cable has been laid in the tubular hub 12 and into the groove of the sheave wheel 18, the retaining sheave is shifted inwardly to position 2 and locked. Then the longitudinal slot is closed by a plate 60 that is shaped to fi-t within the slot as shown in Fig. 4. The plate 60 is hingedly supported to be swung to and from slot closing position by a pair of arms 61-61 fixed thereto with ends hinged to lugs 62 on the base casting 13, and adapted to be releasably locked at their other ends by a pin 63 removably applied therethrough and through lugs 64 on the casting. When it is desired to open the slot, the pin 63 is drawn out, and then the arms 61 swung upwardly and to the side as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4.

The showing in Fig. 9 is to indicate the use of ball hearings in lieu of roller bearings for mounting the hub of the sheave block.

In Figs. 10 and 11, I have illustrated an alternative form of slot filling block and locking means therefor. As best seen in Fig. 11, the block 66x is formed integrally with a cross bear 61x which, at one end, is pivotally mounted on a hinge pin 63x extended between two ears 64x that are formed on the cylindrical bearing housing 13. At its other end the bar is formed with a slot into which a locking bolt 81 is adapted to swing; the bolt being pivoted on a pin 82 extended between ears 83 formed in spaced relationship on the bearing. Threaded onto the upper end of the locking bolt is a nut 85 adapted to be tightened against the bar to secure the cross bar and the slot filling head in position.

Fig. 12 is a central section of an alternative form of the fairleader block. In this disclosure the shank is freely revoluble within two sets of roller bearings 9t)9tl.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A fairleader comprising a supporting base formed with a bearing portion, a sheave block formed with spaced opposite side walls and having a tubular mounting shank contained for axial rotation in said bearing portion for support and oscillation of the sheave block, and a sheave wheel mounted in the sheave block; said tubular mounting shank being open from end to end and formed from end to end, along one side, with a slot that opens at one end into the sheave block between its opposite side Walls and said bearing portion of the supporting base also being formed from end to end with a longitudinal slot with which the slot of said shank can be registered to permit the laying of a cable into the shank and block, and over said sheave wheel, or for the lifting of the cable therefrom, anti-friction bearing means including a cylindrical cage, mounted in said bearing position and containing said shank for rotation therein and formed with a cable passing slot from end to end and registered with the shank slot through which the cable is adapted to be laid into or removed from the shank and sheave block.

2. A fairleader as recited in claim 1 wherein a plate is applied to the ends of the shank and bearing cage to maintain the slots therein in registration, and wherein a closure member is removably fitted to said longitudinal slot of said bearing portion, said closure member having cross arms fixed thereto as supports, and said arms having ends hingedly attached to the bearing portion at one side of the slot therein for the swinging of the closure member into and from slot closing position, and said arms being equipped for fixed securement at their other ends to the bearing portion to retain the closure member against displacement from said slot.

3. A combination as in claim 1 wherein a plate is applied to the ends of the shank and bearing cage and secured thereto to maintain the slots of these parts in registration and retain the cable normally against lifting into the cage and shank slots.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,654,571 Albright Oct. 6, 1953 

